1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flap for diverting the suction force of a hydraulic dredge and for guiding material into the dredge mouth.
2. Prior Art
Customarily, dredged material is sucked through the mouth of a hydraulic dredge suction head as such head is swung and advanced along the bottom of a body of water. Sometimes a rotating cutter head is provided adjacent to the dredge mouth to churn the material and facilitate its entry into the mouth. A problem with known hydraulic dredges is that only material close to the dredge mouth is sucked through it and no mechanism is provided to guide material toward the dredge mouth. Consequently, each time the dredge suction head is swung along the bottom of the body of water only a narrow strip of material is dredged. It is necessary to advance the suction head slowly and to reposition it frequently to assure that the dredge mouth passes sufficiently close to each portion of an area to be dredged to remove the material to a uniform depth.